Oregon is recalling contaminated adult-use cannabis products that made it onto store shelves.
The Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC) on Wednesday issued a health and safety recall for cannabis products being sold through licensed retailers in the state, instructing sellers to place a hold on affected products.
According to the OLCC, certain cannabis flower and extract products failed pesticide testing for the analyte Abamectin with a subcontracted laboratory, but received approval from the primary lab, Ecotest.
Ecotest had marked that the products had passed testing in March 2020.
In September 2020, the OLCC issued a license suspension to Ecotest for multiple violations, including the loss of accreditation from the Oregon Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program for failing to adhere to testing standards and procedures.
The OLCC later revoked Ecotest’s license.
“The contaminated marijuana originally entered the Oregon market from a medical grower transferring it into the OLCC regulated system,” states an OLCC press release. “Oregon Medical Marijuana Program growers are allowed, with prior approval, to sell no more than 20 pounds of marijuana flower annually into the recreational system.”
Among the contaminated products are several strains of cannabis flower prerolls and Purple Slurry extract.
Because Ecotest incorrectly entered results, the second processor was unaware of the contamination while making the Purple Slurry extract.
The processor reported the contamination issue to the OLCC on December 29, 2020 after their extract failed pesticide testing; their product never reached consumers.
OLCC staff used data from Cannabis Tracking System to verify the failed subcontracted test, trace the affected items, and issue guidance to licensees to remove the contaminated products from their shelves.
The OLCC says that the extract was combined with cannabis flower from other sources, causing the resulting products to fail pesticide testing.
Under Oregon Health Authority rules, usable cannabis that has failed pesticide testing cannot be remediated or used in a processed item.
The OLCC urges consumers who have purchased contaminated products to return them to the retailer they purchased them from or dispose of them.
There have been no reports of illness from the contaminated cannabis products, though the OLCC states that the health impact of consuming cannabis products with unapproved pesticide residues is unknown.
According to the OLCC, short and long-term health impacts may exist depending on the specific product, duration, frequency, level of exposure, and route of exposure.
Identifying Affected Products:
Emerald Extracts “Purple Slurry”
• Manufactured by Emerald Treasure LLC (030-1008341A083)
• Label Id = 2805
• Made on 9/9/20
• Tested by MW Labs (010-1008606C050) on 9/14/2020
Cannabis Flower Prerolls
• Strains of “Qurkle,” “BP Oil Slick,” or “Green Crush”
• Tested by Ecotest(010-1008170B3B6) on 3/12/2020
• Sold from Bernie’s Universal Dispensaries in South Beach, OR
